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Delegates Hear Requests For Dwindling State Funds

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By CHRISTIAN M. WADE, The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 8, 2007

NEW PORT RICHEY - Gov. Charlie Crist's 2007-08 fiscal year budget was tight, and that meant tough times for organizations that depend on state money for their causes.

Next fiscal year's state budget, however, is promising to be even tighter.

With that in mind, representatives of civic organizations, county and city governments, and nonprofit groups went before the Pasco County Legislative Delegation on Thursday night with impassioned pleas to keep the money train rolling.

The annual meeting at Pasco-Hernando Community College began with a caveat.

"It's not a very optimistic outlook," delegation chairman John Legg, a Republican state representative, told the audience. "Many of these requests will not even have an opportunity to be filed; even if they do, it will take a lot of work to bring them back to Pasco County."
PHCC President Katherine Johnson asked the lawmakers to support continued state funding for Florida's 27 community colleges. She said her school, which is building to meet the demands of a growing student body, has several construction projects under way.

"We hope that you will continue to fully fund these projects," Johnson said.
Money Request Brought Forth
Sheriff Bob White asked the legislators for $5 million in state funding for the county's child protective services program. Last year, the program received about $4.2 million.

Rene Wiesner Brown, manager of the county's environmental lands program, requested support for the proposed purchase of the 12,000-acre Crossbar Ranch property from Pinellas County.

She said it was in Pasco's best interest to preserve the property.

"We really need someone to champion that cause," she told the delegation.

Cardiologist Rao Musunuru, representing the American Heart Association, asked for help fighting childhood obesity and funding preventive health programs in public schools.

Zephyrhills City Manager Steve Spina asked for money to widen State Road 54.

There were also pleas for lawmakers to flex their political muscle on local issues.

Port Richey Councilman Dale Massad and Amy Scott, a member of Citizens for Proper Dredge, asked for help in securing permits from the state Department of Environmental Protection for a multimillion-dollar project to dredge city waterways.

Delegation Endorses Sinkhole Bill

The delegation, composed of eight state lawmakers with all or portions of their districts in Pasco, also endorsed four local bills, including one that would require state regulators to weigh county ordinances when they approve insurance rate increases, and another that would improve county housing standards.

Both bills are aimed at reducing the number of sinkhole claims by homeowners.

The legislators also signed off on a bill that would repeal a 1970s state law that requires special liquor licenses for restaurants in Pasco; and an appropriations request for $6 million for the county to use as seed money to buy Aloha Utilities.

Local Bills Have Long Journey

The local bills, which received the delegation's unanimous support, still have to be passed by the state House of Representatives and the Senate next year and then survive the governor's veto pen.

State Reps. Rob Schenk, R-Brooksville, and Rich Glorioso, R-Plant City, did not attend the meeting. State Sen. Ronda Storms, R-Brandon, arrived after the voting.

In other business, the delegation approved a resolution to request, in writing, that the state DEP postpone its review of a permit application for an east Pasco landfill until the Legislature considers a bill by Sen. Victor Crist, R-Tampa.

His proposal would prohibit solid waste facilities from being built within a mile of certain bodies of water. It's a move he says would ensure the purity of the state's water supply.

"We need to take this issue to a larger arena," Crist said. "It's a big concern to me."

Reporter Christian M. Wade can be reached at (727) 815-1082 or cwade@tampatrib.com.

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